1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of network communications. More specifically, the present invention is related to a system and method for call routing and selective disclosure of available modes of communication.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
Networks, such as wide area networks and the Internet, allow users to communicate multimedia information between various computer-based devices. Prior art systems provide various ways for communicating voice and video over the Internet. One drawback associated with such prior art systems is the inability of users to control such communication devices, over a network, to define personalized routing of information.
State of the art systems enable users to utilize (in conjunction with a network such as the Internet) a number of communication devices integrated with conventional telephony systems. For example, Internet phones, cellular phones, video conferencing equipment are implemented to work with conventional wide area network (WAN) systems. But, in a scenario wherein one or more communication devices (representative of one or more communication systems or mediums) are linked to a WAN, such systems are not able to dynamically direct an incoming communication to a communication device of choice that is linked to the WAN.
The following references describe prior art in the field of network communications, but none of them provide for an interface wherein subscribers are able to dynamically reveal their communication availability (i.e., text, voice, not available, home, at work, on vacation, etc.) in varying forms to one or more individuals (or organizations).
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,375,161 and 5,432,845 provide for a telephone control redirection or routing system. These patents allow for the rerouting of incoming calls to one or more predetermined locations.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,471,519 provides for a communications monitoring and control system wherein, upon receipt of communication, the system determines the location of the called party from a changeable list including locations selectively provided by the called party. The communication can be accepted, rejected or monitored by the called party. Furthermore, the called party can discontinue monitoring or connect to the communication at any time during the communication.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,579,375 provides for a call transfer within cellular communications system wherein calls that cannot be completed are redirected with an intelligent call forwarding list. The patent""s method includes analyzing a request along with a priority list to determine the optimum number (from the list) for transfer and completion of the call.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,600,704 provides for a system and method for prioritized routing of telephone calls to a subscriber wherein the telephone numbers of the several telephones associated with the subscriber are initially assigned relative priorities such that the telephones are sequentially alerted according to the prioritized routing lists of telephone numbers when a telephone call is placed to the subscriber. For example, when a call to a cell phone goes unanswered, it is automatically forwarded to the next priority number.
Furthermore, it should be noted that the prior art systems fail to provide for an interface that dynamically indicates, either aurally or visually, the availability of other users based on their desire to selectively reveal their availability, on the current status of their communication devices, on their current forwarding rules and on the requestor""s identity. Additionally, in the prior art systems described above, users are not able to customize their routing flow based on who is initiating the communication. These and other improvements to the prior art will be described hereafter in the detailed description.
Whatever the precise merits, features and advantages of the above mentioned prior art systems and references, none of them achieve or fulfills the purposes of the present invention.
The present invention provides for a system and method for a subscriber to dynamically reveal their availability status for communicating with one or more entities or grouped entities. A subscriber creates one or more routing policies for specific entities or groups (that help determine the order of termination of communication devices (e.g., home, office, cellular, unavailable, etc.) as well as the type of available communication medium (i.e., text, voice, etc.). The availability status is a function of the current policy of the subscriber, which contains their routing policies, general and security preferences (privacy), and their devices"" current status (presence). The dynamic, subscriber controlled, combination of these items will create a selective revealing of the subscribers availability based on a match to a correspondingly identified requestor.
Based on the present invention, subscribers are able to maintain one or more policies (corresponding to one or more requesters or groups of requesters) that help selectively reveal the availability mode of a subscriber based on the identity of the requester. For example, if subscribers L and M initiate a communication requesting the availability of subscriber N, and subscriber N utilizes two communication devices, device 1 and device 2, to receive such communications, the system of the present invention allows subscriber N to maintain two separate policies, one each for subscribers L and M, regarding how the incoming communication (regarding availability) is to be handled. In other words, the system of the present invention allows subscriber N to selectively reveal the availability (to subscribers L and/or M) for communication (via device 1 and/or device 2) based on subscriber-based pre-defined customizable policies. For example, if device 1 in the described example is a home phone and device 2 is a cellular phone, the system of the present invention allows subscriber N to create:
A first policy to reveal availability in the home phone and cellular phone if subscriber L is initiating the availability request, and
A second policy to reveal availability in home phone only if subscriber M is initiating the availability request.
The present invention further provides for both a visual (e.g., GUI) and aural (e.g., IVR) interface for notification of availability modes associated with subscribers, to any requester, using any communications medium. In a preferred embodiment visual interface, a contact list of subscribers is modified as the availability status of those listed changes (including changes in policy by the contacts towards the possessor of the contact list). Furthermore, the interface visually modifies graphical images (such as icons) to indicate the various availability modes associated with subscribers in the contact list (passive) as well as requests about subscribers not in the contact list (active).
In an exemplary IVR embodiment, a request for status availability is received by the system through, e.g. PSTN, cellular, etc., and the subscriber status revealed back through the originating telephone connection. Furthermore, the present invention used in conjunction with a network, such as the Internet, allows subscribers to receive calls on any desired device (e.g., IP client, PSTN, Mobile) using the routing policy that lists the communication devices in the desired order of termination.
In another extended embodiment, the queries for availability of subscribers are performed via an electronic message such as e-mail. In this scenario, the availability mode of the subscriber who is to be contacted is returned via an electronic message to the requestor.
In yet another embodiment, service providers are able to modify the active subscriber policies of behalf of their subscribers in accordance with predetermined communication preferences (automatic or defined by subscribers).